Dating Services
by Deathangel125
Summary: When Duo needs some help in his love life (or lack of it) a friend offers some advice. Will it help or will Duo realize he doesn't need help after all?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: They don't belong to me; I just pull them out and torture them every once in a while.

Warnings: yaoi be rampant here, meaning male on male action, although it's nothing major.

Pairings: 3+2 (tentative), 6+5, 1+4, other randoms that I won't name because they aren't that dang important.

Special Thanks to: TanithNight for being the bestest beta reader in the whole yaoi-iverse. Thanks again for dealing with my multiple comma errors and bad grammar, not to mention bad language at times.

Dating Service

Nearing the table where five men sat for their twice weekly dinner, Duo braced himself for the inevitable questions, comments, and teasing about his disastrous love life. He knew the others only picked on him because they found his experiences amusing, but didn't think they needed to take such glee in his misery.

Wufei saw him first and smirked as he drew everyone's attention to the braided man, "Duo, I thought you had a date tonight."

"Your memory sucks," Duo noted casually as he took his usual seat between Zechs and Quatre. "What I said was that if my date went well last night, I might not be here."

Taking the menu that Quatre handed him, he barely glanced at it before setting it aside; they had been eating at this restaurant twice a week for nearly six months and there wasn't much of a variety. Luckily, they didn't come for the food, but the company. Being able to spend time together was often the highlight of his week and he thought the others could understand the sentiment.

Conversation centered on Wufei's recent promotion before switching to Quatre's plan to hold a fund-raiser for one of the many charities his company gave money and time. Duo was more than happy to volunteer at the small fair the blonde was arranging.

He was beginning to believe no one would mention his latest date until Wufei peered around Zechs to smirk at him, "Did your date not work out because he thought you were fat?" the dark-eyed man inquired, eyes cutting to the salad Duo had chosen for dinner.

Quatre frowned in disapproval, "Wufei, you know Duo has weight issues."

The comment had meant to be helpful, but Duo hunched his shoulders protectively, stabbing a piece of lettuce with more force than necessary. From Quatre's other side, Heero snorted, "The problem Duo has is keeping weight on, not having too much."

"Damn guys, either I'm too fat or too skinny, which is it?" The total silence that descended on the table had Duo looking up from his plate, wincing at the stunned expressions facing him, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"Was your date last night that bad?" Wufei was completely serious now, no traces of humor on his face. "What did that asshole say to you?"

This was the reason Duo put up with the constant teasing and mockery; if he was ever really hurt, these men would rally around him in an instant. "Nothing I haven't heard before; that I was so skinny I could pass for a model. He thought it was a compliment."

"Tell us about your date, Duo," Zechs nudged him with an elbow. "It couldn't have been all bad. His name was…Bryan, I think?"

As Duo's employer, Zechs was often privy to details the others didn't know, unless the tall blonde shared that information with Wufei, his lover, which was highly likely. "Yeah, Bryan," Duo nodded as he set his fork down and sat back in his chair with his beer. "He's an investment banker, whatever the hell that is. What I do know is that he bored me to death with talk of stocks and portfolios during dinner. He even asked me if I had an accountant and told me of some he recommended to his clients."

"Did you bother to mention that you have an accountant?" Heero inquired with a smile. Since none of them, other than Zechs and Quatre, had experience with money, they all used the same accounting agency, one owned by Winner.

"I didn't want to give him an opportunity to say anything else. I guess a good way to sum up the entire evening is that is started with a whimper and ended with a bang."

"What caused the whimper?" Quatre asked first.

"That would have been me when Bryan showed up at the restaurant in a god-awful neon green shirt and brown capri pants. It was one of the worst outfits I've ever seen and I've spent a lot of time aboard ships with Howard. I was afraid if I looked at Bryan for more than a few seconds at a time my eyes would start to bleed."

Wufei chuckled, "Where did the bang come from?"

"The bang was when my fist popped him in the nose at the end of the movie. He assumed that by saying I was tired and ready to go home that I actually meant for him to get in my car and refuse to get out."

"Hence the bang," Zechs surmised.

"It was the fastest way to convince him that I wanted to go home alone. It worked," Duo shrugged as laughter filled the table.

Quatre touched his forearm briefly, "How many dates have you had that have not gone well, Duo?"

"I stopped counting because it was too depressing. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. All these people seem normal until we actually go out and then they aren't who they seemed to be."

"Like the aspiring hairdresser that went crazy when you refused to let her touch your braid?" Wufei questioned, eyes dancing with amusement.

"Or the photographer that wanted you to pose nude with his dogs for him," Zechs added.

"There was the race car driver that was a closet bondage freak," Heero winced.

"That wasn't as bad as the professional fighter that challenged Duo to a fight and then cried when he lost."

Duo could remember all those dates and more: a stripper that had thought he should pay to be seen with her, a motorcycle enthusiast that had tried to talk him into getting a tattoo, and a vet that had brought along his five poodles on their date, to name a few.

Sinking into his seat, he gave another heavy sigh, "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Do I have a sigh on my forehead that says, 'Psychos apply here for relationship'?" he half-joked.

"Maybe you need to sign up with one of those dating services," Quatre suggested abruptly. "They could match you up, couldn't they?"

Although he had considered the idea before, Duo had always shied away from doing it. "It just seems weird. Shouldn't I pick who I date?"

"You haven't been doing such a good job so far," Heero mused with his usual bluntness.

"Even if I decided to do something like that, where would I start? I don't like the idea of putting my info on the interweb for anyone to see."

"You could use the dating service that I use."

Five pairs of eyes went to the sixth member of the group, the only one that rarely spoke. Wufei was the first to recover, leaning forward to exclaim, "Trowa, you use a dating service?"

"Yes."

When Trowa went back to his spaghetti without further comment, Wufei frowned, "Why?"

Green eyes glanced up from the plate, "Why what?"

"Why do you use a dating service? Unlike Duo, you don't seem like the type that needs one."

Insulted, Duo crossed his arms, "Thanks a heap, Wufei. It's always nice to hear that I'm even incompetent at dating."

Clearly realizing what he had said, Wufei winced. Before he could say anything, Trowa turned to face him, "Like Duo, I'm a busy man. Most of my time is spent protecting a wealthy and influential man, also like Duo. Unlike Duo, my social skills are limited. It's more comfortable for me to use a service than to try to meet someone on my own."

Intrigued by the idea and amused at the way Wufei's face had turned red, Duo regarded the tall man across the table, sandwiched between Heero and Wufei. "How does it work?"

"You submit a profile to the service and they find someone that shares the same interests. When they do, they arrange a place to meet if you accept the date," Trowa explained, his voice soft yet managing to cross the table easily.

"Does it work? Have you met anyone?"

"No one I would consider having a relationship with, but I've had a few dates. They all went very well."

"How do you get to know your date before you meet?" Quatre leaned forward, elbows on the table to prop up his chin.

"You don't. The dates are kept a secret until you meet so there are no preconceptions. All members are subjected to a background check and the site is very secure. I couldn't hack into it when I tried."

"How would I get started?" Duo was hoping this might work.

"If you aren't doing anything after work tomorrow, I could come to your house and help you get started."

Thrilled with the offer, Duo raised his beer in salute, "I'll be home after six."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

The next evening, Duo slid out of his SUV, grabbing his briefcase from the passenger seat with an irritated grumble. He was staring at his feet when he moved up the sidewalk, stopping suddenly when he almost stepped on the man sitting in front of his house, long legs stretched across the single step, "Trowa, oh my god, I'm so sorry."

Green eyes regarded him as the tall man stood with grace that Duo envied, "For what?"

Unlocking his door, Duo left it open and dropped his briefcase as soon as he stepped inside the house, "For running late; Zechs had a meeting that ran over. Want a drink?" he asked, shedding his suit jacket as he made his way toward the kitchen.

"There's no need to apologize. Heero wanted to take Quatre to dinner, so he came by WEI and I got off a bit early. I've never seen you in a suit," the tall man noted as he accepted the beer Duo held out.

"Don't get used to seeing it. I hate the damn things."

"Then why are you wearing it? I didn't think Zechs would make you wear one."

Gesturing to the living room, Duo led the way to his computer, yanking off his tie with an irritated grumble and tossing it across the back of the desk chair before sliding into it and turning on the computer. While waiting for the computer to load, he took several drinks of his beer while unbuttoning his shirt until it no longer felt like he was being strangled. "I usually don't have to wear one, but when he has meetings like the one today, he wants me to fit in…and not be visibly armed," he added as he removed his holster and gun, leaning over to drape the holster on a nearby lamp. "For some reason, he doesn't want the board members to feel threatened. I thought that was my job."

"Your job is doing what's necessary to keep Zechs safe. I feel the same way when Quatre tells me to wear a suit because we're meeting with the board."

"That makes me feel a little better," Duo snorted, trying to imagine Trowa in a suit. Shaking his head to dispel the image when he realized the tall man would look good in such clothing, he moved his hands to the keyboard, "What's the name of this service, anyway?"

"Dates Anonymous."

Typing in the name, Duo spared a glance at the man that had been nice enough to help him, "Thanks for doing this, Trowa. I really have needed some help in the dating department for a while."

"It's no problem. I would have said something sooner, but I didn't really think you would need help. You never seemed to have difficulties getting dates."

Turning his head, Duo blinked when he realized how close the other man was. Trowa was leaning over the back of the chair, eyes focused on the computer screen. "Getting dates isn't the problem. Getting a date that isn't a completely crazy person is."

Meeting his eyes, Trowa gave a small smile, "Maybe this will help."

Finding the site, Duo sat back and waited for it to load, extremely aware of how Trowa's chest was pressing against the back of his head, like some strange embrace. Assuming the awareness had more to do with numerous failed dates he put the strange thoughts out of his mind with little a little difficulty. "Thanks for sticking up for me last night, too. Wufei didn't mean to be such a jerk."

"Whether he meant to be or not didn't make it hurt you less." Duo's surprised jerk made Trowa chuckle, "I know how much it bothers you to be constantly teased all the time; it's why I've never said anything."

"I guess if it was someone else I'd think it was funny as hell, but they don't understand what it's like. They aren't alone anymore." The braided man winced, "I'm happy for them, I really am, but sometimes…"

"You feel like bashing them in the face for being so happy?"

Duo let out a startled laugh. He had never expected Trowa would be so blunt. "Exactly; what do I do now?"

"Fill out your basic information."

After a few seconds, Duo frowned, "It doesn't ask for my name or anything. Did I miss something?"

"It's Dates _Anonymous_. They don't need names. The choose dates according to your profile and preferences."

"That's a new concept. I like it."

"I like that no one can do a search on someone just by looking up their name. I didn't want people seeing my background or where I work. If I like them after we meet, I can decide whether to tell them or not myself."

Although he didn't like infringing on Trowa's personal life, curiosity prompted Duo to ask, "How many dates have you had lately? You don't have to answer that if you don't want."

The tall man moved away with a chuckle, leaning on the wall beside the desk rather than hover over the braided man as Duo began to answer more questions, "When I offered my help, I assumed you would have questions. I've been on five or six dates the last few months. There could have been more, but with the annual budget meetings…"

"Yeah, your schedule gets a lot more hectic. I hate the end of the quarter. I can remember a time when I didn't know what budgets were used for and quarters were some of the money people used in the past. When I started working for Zechs, he made me take a business course so I would know what was going on. That's what he said, at least; I think he got tired of me asking questions all the time."

"Did you stop asking questions?"

Duo grinned, "Nope, I just found other things to ask about." He keyed in a few answers and stopped with a frown, "Why do they want to know if I'm a native of Earth or the colonies?"

"I assume some people only wish to date others from Earth or the colonies."

"Does it really make that much of a difference?"

"I don't think so, but there are differences between the two. As a whole, Earth natives are more relaxed while colonists are used to constantly being on alert for hull breaches and the like."

"I'm pretty laid back," Duo pointed out with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"I think you'd be relaxed if you were on a colony when there was a hull breach," Trowa smiled. "You would be the only one kicked back in a chair, holding a beer and telling everyone to hold on because it was going to be a bumpy ride."

Delighted by the image Trowa painted, Duo burst out laughing, "I wouldn't be the only one; you'd probably be standing there somewhere with a hand shoved in one pocket and holding a tool kit in the other so we could figure out a way to fix the damn breach before we all died."

It was a well-known fact that Trowa was an excellent mechanic and he kept a cool head in every possible situation. The statement had green eyes shining, "I'd have to have someone to hand me tools."

"Alrighty then, if we ever end up on a colony that's been breached, I'll gladly offer my services as tool handler and deliverer of sarcastic comments, just to keep you grounded. I'll even bring the beer to celebrate after."

As his chuckles died out, Duo forced himself to concentrate. He was doing fine filling out the required questions until he hit one that had him blinking, "What should I put for sexual preference? I doubt they want me to say 'yes, please'."

"Men or women, Duo. They're asking which you prefer."

"I get that, but I don't see the right option. I guess I prefer men to women, so should I put that?"

"Do like I did and choose 'other'. In the blank space, you can type no preference."

Doing as suggested, Duo could feel his ears turning pink, "I didn't realize you were bisexual, Trowa. I assumed you were straight."

"In the camps, there were two possibilities for lovers, and they weren't male or female; the choices were unattractive and unavailable."

"So that would have made you unavailable," Duo replied absently.

"What?"

Moving his eyes from the screen to Trowa's face, Duo realized his comment had the other man looking at him with clear surprise, "If those were the only two choices, then you had to be unavailable."

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Because you're attractive. I doubt you were unattractive when you were younger. I've known you for almost ten years and you've always been attractive."

"That was the strangest compliment I've ever gotten…and one of the most sincere."

"No problem," Duo shrugged. "It was just an opinion. I've been told I have a lot of them."

Trowa stayed close while Duo finished answering his questionnaire, answering questions or offering more detailed explanations when necessary. Once the braided man had sent in his membership form, he leaned back in the chair, "What happens now?"

"It'll take a few days for you to get a match. When they find one, a message will be sent to your phone, giving you some information about the possible date. If you like what you read and have time, you send back the possible times and places you could meet. Once the date is confirmed, you'll get a message confirming time and place."

"Sounds complicated and simple at the same time."

"It's easier than it sounds," Trowa assured. "Since you're done, I should go. It's past time for dinner."

Enjoying Trowa's company and faced with another meal alone, Duo hesitated only for a moment before asking, "Would you like to stay for dinner? I was planning on making some fried chicken and potatoes."

The offer clearly surprised Trowa, but he nodded, "That sounds a lot better than the microwaved dinner I have at home. I didn't know you could cook."

"I didn't know you couldn't cook," Duo retorted, standing and rolling up his shirt sleeves. "Come with me and I'll teach you the fine art of frying chicken. My first tip: never fry anything while you're not wearing a shirt; it hurts like hell."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

Already late for the mid-week dinner, Duo wasn't in a hurry to park, in spite of his passenger's complaints. After a few seconds, he snorted, "Geez, Zechs, it's not like you're not going home with Wufei after we eat. Is five more minutes really going to make a difference in the grand scheme of things?"

"If you ever find someone, you'll understand."

They day had already been hard and trying, with a banker being escorted from Zechs' office after he had threatened to kill the blonde and the comment hit Duo like a blow in the stomach. "That's an easy thing to say when you're living with someone you knew for years before you began dating. Not everyone is that damn lucky, you know," he snapped as he put the car in park.

Making an irritated gesture for Zechs to stay put, he slid from the vehicle and looked around for any threat, though it was an unlikely possibility. Not only was this a safe section of the city, he could see several members of Quatre's security team around the perimeter of the restaurant. Zechs emerged only after being an all-clear signal, immediately falling into step with his bodyguard. "I didn't mean to sound so smug, Duo."

Embarrassed by his outburst, Duo sighed as they entered the restaurant, "I know, but you don't realize how hard it is to find someone. You and Wufei and Heero and Quatre were lucky enough to realize you had feelings for each other, but you were already friends; it just progressed to more later."

With their table in sight, Duo frowned when Zechs pulled him to a halt, turning to meet the blue gaze searching his face. "You are still looking, aren't you, Duo? I don't want you to give up on finding someone because you had a few dates that ended badly."

"Yeah, I'm still looking."

"Did you decide to use the dating service Trowa uses? I haven't heard you say anything about it in weeks."

Glancing over at the table, Duo relaxed a bit when he saw their entrance hadn't been noticed yet, "I've been out a couple of times, but there wasn't really anything to talk about. No disasters or crazy people in over a month."

Zechs frowned, "Duo, we ask because we want you to be happy, not so we can make fun of you. Is that the way it seems?"

"Kind of, I mean, I know you guys aren't being mean, but sometimes it feels like I'm the comedy relief."

"It wasn't meant like that," the blonde winced. "I'll talk to Wufei later and tell him to cool it, okay?"

Surprised by the offer, Duo shook his head, "Don't worry about it. Hopefully, I won't have any more dates that are as bad as the ones I've already had."

Zechs seemed to accept that, nodding and releasing the braided man so they could continue to the table. Pleased he wouldn't be picked on for his recent dates, Duo smiled as he met Wufei's eyes, smile fading as soon as the dark-eyed man spoke, "Trying to attract a different set of people by dressing up, Duo?"

"Shut up, Wufei," Trowa ordered in a soft tone that had Wufei blinking. Green eyes focused on Duo, "Come sit with me. You can tell me about your last date."

Grateful for the intervention, Duo gladly took the offered seat. "Thanks. It went okay," he replied as he sent Trowa a look that reflected his gratitude. "How did yours go?'

"Like yours, it went okay, but I doubt there will be a second date." Trowa reached for his glass of wine, taking a sip before gesturing to Duo's suit, "More budget meetings?"

"I wish; Zechs had to meet with some of the reps from Cinq today. We're talking hours of plans about what aspect of the kingdom needs to be addressed next. I don't think they ever made a decision, but that could be because I tuned out after hour three."

"I'm surprised you didn't take time to change clothes."

"I thought about it, but Zechs insisted we get here as fast as possible. I'm going to start taking an extra set of clothes with me," Duo said, only half-joking.

"I keep a change of clothes in the car," Trowa confessed with a smile. "I've also had to wear a suit more often lately."

"That's a really good idea," Duo nodded, looking away from the green-eyed man so he could locate their server and seeing the stunned expressions directed at him and Trowa. "What?"

Quatre's blue eyes were wide, "That's the most I've heard Trowa say all day and usually I have to nag until he talks."

Remembering a time two months ago when he had believed the tall man rarely spoke, Duo chuckled, "He talks a lot."

"Not as much as you do," Trowa retorted, sighing suddenly.

Seeing the way everyone was staring at the tall man, Duo cleared his throat, "Where is the server? I'm dying of thirst here."

As eyes turned toward him, Duo heard the sigh of relief from the man sitting beside him. When Wufei signaled for a server, Duo reached under the table, touching Trowa's thigh for an instant and removing the touch when Trowa jerked.

Waiting until their food was served, Duo offered a look of apology to the man that he had been able to spend some time with over the last few weeks. "Sorry, I didn't realize they were going to stare at you if I said something. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"You didn't; I'm just not used to everyone looking at me."

"I was also talking about me touching you."

"I know," Trowa shook his head minutely. "You didn't make me uncomfortable. I'm not used to people touching me casually, Duo."

"Oh. Why not?"

"Because it doesn't happen very often. I suppose most people assume I don't like to be touched because I don't seek out reasons to touch others," Trowa frowned. "Or maybe I frown too much."

Duo couldn't stop the snicker that fought its way from his throat, "Heero frowns way more than you do."

Green and cobalt eyes danced to Heero, Duo laughing out loud when Heero frowned at the attention. Without thinking, Duo poked Trowa on the shoulder, "See? Told you."

"You could be right."

The rest of the dinner was pleasant, with Duo making an effort to draw Trowa into the conversations. He had learned in the past weeks that the tall man had a quick sense of humor and sharp wit and had enjoyed leaning of Trowa's odd outlook on a number of subjects, often laughing as he admitted the green-eyed man was accurate.

At the end of the meal, he noticed that Trowa was standing outside the restaurant door, eyes focused on the road. It had been something Duo had seen the tall man do on occasions and had wondered about, but this time his curiosity had him sliding out of the SUV, tossing a wave to Wufei and Zechs as they left. As they roared down the quiet street with Wufei at the wheel, Duo returned to the restaurant, eyes looking for Quatre's guard detail but seeing no one. "Where are Quatre, Heero, and the goons?"

Trowa gave him a surprised look, "They went home."

"Okay, why are you still here?"

"I'm waiting for the bus."

"Why in the hell are you waiting on the bus? Where's your car?"

"I took Quatre's today and left mine at home. It's something we do if Heero's going to be with him in the evening, so they have the bullet-proof windows."

"So…they took the car and left you here to ride the bus?" Duo snorted, shaking his head. "That was sweet. Makes you wonder what they'll do for your birthday…play pin the tail on the Trowa?"

Trowa's lips quirked, "That sounds painful."

"Yeah, owwww," Duo rubbed his backside as he grinned, pretending someone had shoved a pin into him. "I'll give you a ride home."

"I don't mind riding the bus. I've seen your driving."

"Har har, Barton. Get in the damn car."

Once they were settled in the SUV and heading for Trowa's apartment, Duo shook his head, "Why didn't you say anything about needing a ride? I'd have been happy to take you home."

"I didn't want to inconvenience anyone. The bus wasn't so bad," Trowa said in a tone that revealed how much he hated the bus.

"Oh, yeah, the bus is great. All those people crammed together, your feet sticking to the floor, and drivers that constantly slam on the brakes and yell at other drivers. What's not to love? Seriously, though, anytime you need a ride, climb on in."

"You say that now, but what happens when you bring a date?"

"If they don't like me giving you a ride, they can ride the bus or take a cab."

"Really?"

Looking at his passenger, Duo smiled at Trowa's obvious confusion, "As much as I'd like to be part of a couple, you mean more to me than some stranger that I might like for a week or two, if I'm lucky. Friends come first for me; always have and always will."

"Next time I need a ride, I'll let you know."

He was pulling to a stop in front of Trowa's building when the tall man made a small noise, "I've been meaning to ask you if you could look at my computer. It needs to be updated."

Since he also updated Wufei and Zechs' computers, Duo didn't hesitate before nodding, "Sure thing. Do you want me to take a look at it tonight?"

"It's getting late and I had an early morning; would you mind coming over tomorrow? I can try to cook something for dinner."

Duo snorted, "I've seen your cooking. I have a better idea. I could grab some stuff on the way over. After I get done with your computer, I'll give you another cooking lesson."

"I'd like that."

"Great, it's a date." Duo didn't realize what he said until after Trowa began laughing. "You know what I mean."

"Right, it's a date." Trowa was still smiling as he disappeared into the building.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

"Why are you in such a good mood?" Zechs grumbled as he glared at Duo over a cup of coffee. "I haven't seen you this cheerful since…I don't think I've ever seen you so cheerful, not this damn early."

"It's almost ten o'clock. You've had hours to wake up," Duo smirked. "What's wrong with you? You and Wufei get in a fight this morning or what?"

Leaning back in his chair, Zechs rubbed a hand down his face while Duo looked on from behind his own desk, an item he had insisted on when going to work for the blonde. If he was to be guarding Zechs, it wouldn't do any good for him to be in another room. He had gotten the idea from the arrangement between Quatre and Trowa, who also shared an office.

Zechs' sigh floated across the room, "We got into an argument last night after leaving the restaurant. I spent the night on the couch."

"I bet that was uncomfortable," Duo winced as he recalled how short the couple's couch was. He could probably lay on it with some minor shifting; Zechs had to have a very long and sleepless night. "You guys were getting along fine when you left. What happened?"

"He asked how long I thought it would be before you had another bad date."

After the discussion he and Zechs had the previous day, Duo could imagine the blonde hadn't taken the question very well. "You should have let it go."

"No, I shouldn't have. He needs to realize that the things he says are hurtful. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't accused him of being cold…then asked him if he really considered you a friend at all."

Duo whistled, "Were you trying to get kicked out of the bedroom?"

"It seems that way. I was trying to get him to see that what he says is not nice. After seeing your expression yesterday, I knew we were wrong to tease you that way." A moment passed before Zechs sat up straight, shaking his head slowly, "It'll work out somehow."

"I gotta get a drink. You need anything?"

"I need someone to finish filling out this paperwork," the blonde scowled at the stack on his desk. "No, I'll be busy for some time. You could get me a bag of chips or something; lunch isn't looking like it's going to happen."

"I'll deal with lunch. Be right back."

As soon as Duo closed the door to Zechs' office behind him, he had his cell phone out, making a call. He assumed he'd have to leave a message so he blinked when the call was answered almost immediately, "Is something wrong?" the low voice questioned.

"Nothing's wrong. Have you got a minute to talk? I need some advice."

"Quatre's in a private meeting with his accountant, so I have more than a minute, though I doubt I'm the best person to dole out advice. Is this…is this about a date?"

"No," Duo blinked. "It's about Wufei." He explained what had occurred, summarizing the best he could while heading to the vending machines at the end of the hall, ignoring the curious looks he received from Zechs' employees. It was rare to see him outside the office without the blonde, but he thought this was important and Zechs was too busy to leave without Duo's knowledge. "What do I do, Trowa? I don't want them fighting about something so stupid."

"Fighting over you is not stupid. I can understand why Zechs is standing up to Wufei about this. Wufei may not see it, but his remarks are made to cut you down. I don't like hearing him do it, either."

The thrill of pleasure that went down Duo's spine was dutifully ignored. "I don't want them fighting; Wufei's always been like that."

"No, he hasn't. He only began making snide comments after you went to work for Zechs. In a way, he may be threatened by the time you and Zechs spend together. If I were in his place, I'd likely feel the same."

"Why?"

"You and Zechs have a lot in common. You never lack for something to talk about, even after spending all day together. If I hadn't been aware of how Zechs felt for Wufei, I would have wondered if there was something between you two. It's not uncommon for an employer to develop feelings for an employee or vice versa."

With a soda and a bag of trail mix clenched in his hand, Duo made his way back toward the office slowly, "Zechs is a good guy, but what would he want with someone like me when he has Wufei? The idea is nuts. Wufei's a lucky guy. Zechs isn't my type, anyway."

"Why not?"

"Hell, I don't know. He's too proper, I guess. We might have some things in common on the surface, but we're too different."

"What is your type, Duo?"

"I don't know that, either. I'll figure it out when I get a chance. Right now, I need to know how to fix this."

Trowa was silent for a minute. "What do you have planned for lunch?"

"It's looking like a couple cans of soda and some stale crackers. Zechs has a bunch of stuff to do so we're staying here."

"Hmmm…let me call you back," the line went dead before Duo could form a response.

In Zechs' office, he dropped the trail mix on the blonde's table, "Chips are bad for you."

"So is soda," the blonde glared at the can in Duo's hand.

"Do you want to talk about your coffee habit?" the braided man narrowed his eyes at the ever-present cup of coffee at Zechs' elbow. "Didn't Sally say you needed to cut down on that mud?"

"I'll eat the damn trail mix as long as you stay away from my coffee."

"Done; I'll even keep my mouth shut about the candy bars you slip in there every once in a while." Having had the coffee/chocolate mixture before, Duo knew it tasted good and helped you wake up in a hurry.

When his phone rang, he glanced at the number and backed out of the room, "I have to take this; I'll be right outside." Answering the call, he growled, "Don't hang up without saying goodbye; it's rude."

"It's a habit."

"Work on it. Why did you hang up on me?"

"Heero and Wufei only work half a day today because they have to work this weekend. Wufei is going to go to Zechs' office at twelve-thirty, so they can talk this out without one of them being relegated to the couch. When he gets there, you are going to go to the diner across the street and wait for me. Heero plans to stay here with Quatre."

Duo was speechless for a long moment. The abrupt appearance of this take-charge Trowa was…alluring and more intriguing than he had a right to think. "Uh, yeah, that'll work," he finally managed, swallowing the lump in his throat and chastising himself for wondering what other times the tall man would be so commanding. "How long is Wufei going to stay?"

"You'll have to ask him when he gets there. He isn't too happy with me at the moment," Trowa replied in a wry tone.

"Why isn't he happy with you?"

"Because I told him he was acting like a jealous jackass and he needed to fix the mess he made." Duo had to laugh, unable to image the expression on Wufei's face. "I have to go, Duo. I'll see you at the diner?"

Taking that as a goodbye, Duo smiled, "It's a date."

Wufei didn't shove the door open, but it was a close thing, narrowing his eyes when he saw Duo leaning over Zechs' shoulder. Remembering what Trowa had said, Duo stayed where he was when he would have moved away before; the sudden withdrawal had likely made him look guilty of something. "Change this, too," he suggested to the blonde, letting his eyes fall back to the seating arrangement for a charity ball taking place the next month. "The ambassador and his wife are separated; she was caught in bed with her aide."

"Isn't her aide a woman?"

"That would be why they're separated; something about the ambassador not being able to compete. Also, the Banedero sisters can't sit together."

"What happened there?"

"I don't know, but the last time I saw them together they were trying to pull out each other's hair while one called the other a backstabbing bitch."

"Duo, Trowa is waiting for you," Wufei said in an odd tone.

The braided man nodded once, "That should be everything. You need anything else?"

"Wufei will be here to take care of any security issues. Go get something to eat."

With a brisk nod, Duo quickly grabbed his jacket and slid it over his holster. He was grabbing his keys when Wufei touched his arm, "May I speak with you for a moment in private, Duo?"

"Walk me out; the building's clear other than staff," he added when Wufei glanced back at the blonde bent over his desk, muttering darkly at the paper in front of him.

"It was easy for me to walk in."

Leaving the office, Duo lifted an eyebrow, "That's because I called the security desk ten minutes ago and told them you were coming, Wufei. I know how to do my job."

Wufei visibly winced, "I've never doubted that Zechs was safe with you. I need to apologize, Duo. I was recently told I was being an idiot and treating you like an enemy rather than a friend."

A corner of Duo's mouth turned up in a lopsided grin, "Trowa has a helluva way with words, doesn't he?"

"So he does. The lecture I received on the phone was shocking and…enlightening. I didn't mean to hurt you, not consciously. I will admit that I've felt…jealous of how close you are to Zechs."

"Wufei, I don't know if you've figured this out, but Zechs adores you. He'd do anything you asked him to do. If you asked him to get another bodyguard, he probably would."

"That isn't what I want," the dark-eyed man hastened to assure. "Zechs is safer with you than anyone else I can think of."

"Does this mean we're good?"

The easy laugh had none of the apology the former words had, "We're good. Go eat with Trowa; I'll take care of Zechs."

"How long are you going to stay with him? I can come back when you need to leave," Duo was already planning his lunch 'date' and thinking of how much time he would have to spend with Trowa before returning to work.

"I will stay with him for the rest of the day."

"I really can take care of him…" Duo insisted, wondering if the other man didn't actually trust him.

Wufei shook his head, "I really don't doubt your abilities. Since I have the rest of the day off, I wanted to use the time to make up for being such a jerk to him…and to you."

"I don't want to know how you're going to make it up to him," Duo said quickly, prompting a small snicker from the dark-eyed man. "Are you sure you can stay?" he asked, checking his watch, mind more on the man that was supposed to be waiting at the diner than on his employer, certain that Zechs would be safe in Wufei's care.

"I'm sure; go eat with Trowa and enjoy your evening, my friend."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

Duo took a moment at the security desk, making sure there had been no alarms before exiting the building and crossing the street, a smile stretching his lips when he saw Trowa leaning against a brick wall that connected the diner with the florist next door. "Fancy seeing you here, stranger," he drawled, mimicking Trowa's pose, arms crossed over his chest and one knee bent so he could plant his foot on the wall behind him. "I don't know what you said to Wufei, but it worked."

"Did he offer you an apology?"

"Actually, he did; shocked the hell out of me, to be honest." More serious, Duo put his foot down and turned so he could face the tall man, "It means a lot to me that you stood up for me, Trowa. How can I repay you for that?"

Green eyes grew wide for an instant before Trowa shook his head, "There's nothing to repay. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, that biscuit from this morning was gone hours ago."

Once they were sitting inside the diner, Duo couldn't help but watch Trowa a little closer than he had before. He had never noticed how green Trowa's eyes were or how there were streaks of blonde mixed in the brunette bangs. Although he wasn't being obvious, Trowa must have been aware of the scrutiny, glancing up after a moment, "Do I have something on my face?"

Duo could feel his face heat upon realizing he had been ogling his friend, "No, uh…I just…umm…I'm really glad we've been able to hang out over the last few weeks, you know? It's been really…fun."

A smile tugged Trowa's lips and he let his eyes drop to his soup and sandwich combo, "I think so, too. It's been nice to spend time with someone that understands me, even when I don't say much."

"I'm an expert in silent communication after dealing with Heero all those years."

"You made a good team during the war and then when you joined the Preventers. He always said you were the best partner he could hope for. I wondered…" Trowa's eyes flashed to Duo's for a moment before looking away again, shaking his head as if to dismiss he had said anything.

Easily able to interpret the unasked question, Duo shrugged, "Why did I quit when we were such a good team?"

"Right; I was surprised when you applied for a job with the Cinq government."

"It was good being able to work with Heero again, but since he doesn't go into the field anymore, it didn't take long for me to feel I was being strangled by my own braid. I considered changing partners, but Wufei and Sally make a good team and there wasn't anyone else I trusted."

Pausing, Duo took a long drink of water, feeling the weight of Trowa's eyes on him and enjoying the sensation more than he should. After clearing his throat, he continued, "I heard Wufei talking about some open positions with the Cinq committee, so I talked to Heero about it. He understood why I felt the need to leave; if he hadn't, I never would have resigned. When Zechs found out I had applied for any position, he asked if I wanted to be the head of his security team, like you are with Quatre."

"You didn't accept the offer."

"I didn't want to be responsible for that many people. Zechs was the one that suggested I become his bodyguard. There were advantages to the position that I liked, so I accepted. I'm in charge of me and Zechs and Darby takes care of the security detail when Zechs has a public appearance. It works pretty well for us. I couldn't do what you do."

"I do the same thing you do; protecting Quatre is my job."

"Yeah, but you have to keep up with the goon squad all the time. I've always admired the way you can order them around without having to say much."

"They know their jobs; I'm only there to give them direction when it's needed," Trowa's cheeks were a little red, making Duo smile. Apparently, he had embarrassed the tall man.

"You're good at what you do, Trowa. So," Duo poked at the lettuce on his sandwich with one finger, "do you have any plans today? I seem to have the rest of the day off and I know you wanted me to look at your computer. Do you want me to go to your apartment later?"

"You could come over after we eat. You said you needed groceries?"

Thrilled the other man had made the suggestion, Duo nodded, "You could follow me there. It's right beside a movie store…"

"That sounds nice. I'm sure we can find something we can both agree on."

They were finishing their food when Duo's phone chirped, signaling that he had a message. Reading it, he frowned, "It's the dating agency. Apparently, some guy is available tonight if I want to go out."

"If you want to go, you can come over another night," Trowa said quietly, eyes averted.

Duo only had to give it thought for an instant before sending his response back. "You know what? I think I'd rather watch a movie with you. There'll be other dates, but we can't miss an opportunity to teach you how to cook, can we?"

Long after they had left the diner, while they were searching the aisles of movie titles available, Duo had to wonder about his actions. Based on what he had read, the man sounded like he could have been an interesting companion, yet Duo had chosen to spend the evening with Trowa over someone else. He decided it was best not to study his motivations too much, afraid of what he would find.

It didn't take long for Duo to get Trowa's computer updated, adding a number of programs he thought the tall man would appreciate. Feeling a presence over his shoulder, he tilted his head up, taking a deep breath when he found Trowa standing right behind the chair, bent down so he could see what Duo was doing. The braided man's brain went blank for a full five seconds, until Trowa looked down at him with a questioning expression. "Uh…I finished updating your computer," he said needlessly, prompting a smile from the tall man.

"I had assumed you had gotten done, but I can't say I recall this specific program being on here before or this one," Trowa leaned over further to point at the screen.

"I added some things I thought you might like; I have these on my computer at home and at work. They make my life easier," Duo forced his gaze back to the screen. "This one is a tracking system you can put all of the Winner vehicles on; it's a good way to keep up with all of Quatre's employees. This way you can make sure they're using the company cars for business and not…anything else. I can help you log each vehicle to the system later if you want, but I thought you might want to start with the cars you use to transport Quatre. It'll help you see that no one has taken any of them without you knowing, cutting down on the possibility of tampering with the vehicles."

"That could prove to be very helpful."

"Yeah; when I first installed it at the Cinq building, Zechs had to fire eight employees because they were using the cars for things that were definitely not business relations, unless they were trying to improve company morale by visiting either mistresses or each other away from work."

"What is the other one for?"

"It will give you a direct link to the Preventers criminal database. Now, those annoying background checks will take ten minutes instead of five hours. They have the most comprehensive database of known criminals in the Universe, with fingerprints and eye scans included. If someone has been arrested in the last fifteen years, in any law enforcement organization, the file will be on here."

"Duo, do I want to know where you got these programs?"

The braided man snickered, not insulted by the question at all, "They belong to the agency, but I have permission to use them. Une has granted me permission to use them, as long as I'm not using them to play with the general public."

"Have you used them to play with the general public yet?" Trowa asked with a knowing smirk.

"Maybe once or twice, but nothing that would have created lasting damage. I did use it a few times to check out the people I went out on dates with, but I stopped doing that after I realized it didn't tell me a damn thing that was helpful. I mean, yeah, they weren't criminals, but that didn't mean they were sane, either."

"Are there any other surprises on there for me to find later?"

"Nah; I didn't think you'd find the nude pics too interesting," Duo teased.

Trowa moved back a step, "That depends on who the pics are of, I suppose."

Not sure what to say about that, Duo remained quiet as he shut down the computer. Seeing that the tall man had already made his way to the kitchen, he rose from the chair and followed, stopping to lean on the door frame as Trowa got the ingredients they had bought at the store, smiling when Trowa picked up a small jar of parsley leaves and stared at it with a frown. "They don't bite, you know…and you can't glare them into submission."

Setting the jar on the counter with a smile, Trowa gave a small shrug, something Duo had never imagined the tall man doing before they had gotten to know each other better, "It never hurts to try. Are you planning to put those on the steak? I don't think I like that idea; if I wanted leaves, I'd eat a salad."

"They're for the potatoes, Trowa, not the steak."

"Why are we putting leaves on the potatoes?"

Moving into the kitchen fully, Duo found the potatoes in question, dumping them in the sink to be washed. "You use salt and pepper, right?"

"Yes." Trowa handed Duo a knife without waiting for the braided man to ask, eyebrow lifting when Duo spun the knife in his hand.

"It's the same concept; the parsley is just an additional seasoning to give the potatoes more flavor. How do you not know any of this? What have you been eating for the last twenty-five years?"

"With the mercenaries I ate what I could find, during the war I ate what I could find, and since then I've been surviving on microwave meals unless we go out for dinner or I'm on a date," Trowa shrugged again as he leaned against the counter beside Duo, eyes following the deft motions of the knife as they peeled skin off vegetables. "I'm actually very surprised that you cook as well as you do; I never would have expected it from the way you normally eat when we're at a restaurant."

"I cook good foods, so sometimes I indulge a little when we go out. If I ate like that all the time, I'd be the size of a house. I like grease, but I don't like the idea of being fat."

"You could eat everything in sight for a month and still not get fat," Trowa snorted. "I guess that's one reason I was so surprised to see how healthy you eat when you're at home."

Duo snickered, "Yeah, it takes a lot of work to keep me in shape like this," he teased as he handed the knife and a potato to the other man, turning away to get the steaks from the fridge.

"Whatever you've been doing, it works for you," Trowa said quietly.

Turning slowly, Duo saw the small smile as his heart pounded against his ribs. Assuming the other man was joking, he forced a smile, "I gotta say that the microwave meals don't seem to be hurting you, either."

"It's nice that you noticed, but it's also nice that you offered to teach me how to cook. I really do appreciate it, Duo."

Glad that the awkward moment was over, Duo rolled his eyes and took the knife from Trowa's hands, stepping behind the man to demonstrate the proper way to peel the potato, taking guilty pleasure in the way it felt to be so close to the tall man as he put his arms around Trowa. "If you do it this way, you keep more of the potato and you don't have to use so many. Try to keep as much potato as possible; a little bit of skin isn't going to hurt anything," he explained as he ran the knife over the vegetable in Trowa's hand, very aware of how still the other man had gotten. "Finish these and I'll show you how to cut them up into chunks before we put the parsley on them. I'll marinate the steaks," he added as he moved away from Trowa.

They worked in silence for several minutes, until the tall man spoke up, "Am I doing this right?"

Glancing over, Duo smiled as he watched Trowa meticulously cut the potato into small pieces, doing the same to his own without having to look. "Not so small. Other than that, you're doing perfectly."

"I have a good teacher."

Duo felt his face flush at the compliment, wishing that hearing so little didn't mean so much. Realizing it was going to be a long night, he ducked his head and tried to concentrate on what he was doing so he didn't cut off his finger.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

Weeks passed and Duo found himself spending more and more time with Trowa, often turning down dates to do so. He didn't see anything wrong with it; he always enjoyed being with the tall man that exuded such calm and confidence. He chose not to think about it much, reasoning that it was natural to want to spend time with a good friend, especially one that he had recently discovered was much more interesting than he had at first assumed.

Although he didn't think about how much time they spent together in a negative way, he did think about Trowa more often. Several times a day he would wonder what the tall man was doing or make a note to ask Trowa's opinion when they saw each other, but that was normal reaction if you respected someone's opinion…right?

At least he refused to think about it more than that until one Friday, less than an hour before he and Zechs were scheduled to leave for a three-day weekend. "Since we aren't having our usual dinner this weekend, do you have any big plans?" the blonde inquired as he signed numerous papers requiring his approval to begin reconstruction on some of the destroyed structures in Cinq. It would be the first physical evidence the kingdom was being restored after years of gathering funds and support.

Unable to ignore the presence of Zechs' secretary, Duo waited until the woman left before checking his calendar to make certain they were on schedule; he had no intentions of being late to start his weekend if he could do anything about it. "Going camping."

"Alone?"

"Trowa's going, too. It's a place he knows that requires a two-hour hike. We're supposed to leave as soon as you and I get done here; he's already at home. We should be able to set up camp just before dark as long as nothing goes wrong."

"You've been spending a lot of time with Trowa the last few months."

The tone, as much as the words, put Duo on alert. Lifting his head, he saw the worried expression on Zechs' face, "What's wrong with that? Trowa's a good guy."

"I know that. I'm worried that you've shifted your focus to Trowa because he's easily accessible."

"I barely manage to get my GED, Zechs, so leave out the big words. If you have something to say, spit it out."

"You're smart enough to understand what I'm saying, Duo. Are you sure you haven't started spending time with Trowa because being with him takes less effort than going on dates with people you don't know?"

"I've been on dates," Duo huffed, irritated that no matter what he did, it always seemed to be the wrong thing.

"When was the last time you went on a date?"

Grabbing his phone from the desk, Duo searched his recent messages, suddenly glad he hadn't bothered to delete anything. "It wasn't that long ago. It was…" he trailed off once he realized he had refused every date for the last three weeks, starting with the first time he and Trowa had lunch at the diner. "It's been a few weeks," he admitted quietly, a frown pulling his brows together. "It's not because it's easier to be with Trowa, you know. He has a hectic schedule, too."

"You could go on dates when he's busy," the blonde suggested in a reasonable tone.

"I know that. I just…don't like tying up my free time in case we can get together. I like being around Trowa; he's a good friend. We like a lot of the same stuff and…" he shook his head, feeling defensive.

"You used to date all the time. Now, you only spend time with him. You're even reserving your spare time in case you can see him. That doesn't sound like friends, Duo; it sounds like a relationship."

"It's not like that."

"Why not?"

"Because Trowa doesn't…" Duo clamped his lips together, eyes wide with comprehension. After swallowing hard, he spoke the truth he had been avoiding for months, "Because Trowa isn't interested in me like that."

"Are you certain?"

"He's never…shown any interest. We are friends, Trowa. I've been giving him some cooking lessons and he's been teaching me how to speak French."

Blue eyes were sympathetic as Zechs rose, crossing the room to lean on the edge of Duo's desk, looking down at the braided man. "I know you're friends. I just want you to keep looking for someone that will make you happy. Perhaps after this weekend, you should limit your time with Trowa to an evening or two a week. Put some distance between you before you begin to hope for more than he can give."

The advice was still on Duo's mind when he pulled to a stop in front of Trowa's building less than two hours later. He was ready to dismiss the notion as ridiculous; he would have known if he had begun seeing Trowa as more than a friend, wouldn't he? While he admitted finding the tall man attractive, that was a natural reaction when one of your closest friends was so handsome, so he didn't think that meant anything.

At least he didn't think so until Trowa emerged from the building in a pair of loose camouflage pants, hiking boots, a green tank top, and carrying a backpack over one shoulder, a sleeping bag gripped loosely in one hand. The way Duo's heart skipped a few beats made it official: he'd been dumb enough to direct his affection toward Trowa, consciously or not. He wasn't just attracted to Trowa, he wanted more from the tall man than he had been willing to admit and the realization frustrated him.

Making an effort not to touch the tall man in some way as he helped Trowa toss his stuff in the back of the SUV, Duo realized how much he had gotten used to touching Trowa. It was never anything big, just simple touches on the arm or shoulder in welcome or a hip bump to see how the other man would react.

He really didn't believe Trowa would notice the way they didn't come into contact with each other at all, but they were scarcely outside city limits when Trowa spoke loud enough to be heard over the music on the radio, "Have I done something wrong?"

Duo heard the question, but needed a minute to form a response, "What?"

With a flick of his wrist, Trowa turned off the radio, "I asked if I've done something wrong."

"Why would you say that?"

"You haven't said a word since you started driving, you're scowling at the road, and you're trying to strangle the steering wheel. Being an astute observer, I assumed you're angry about something and since I'm the only one here…"

Realizing he was taking his frustrations out on Trowa, Duo made a concentrated effort to relax his grip. "I'm not mad. It's been a long week and Zechs decided to bring something to my attention that I was avoiding. You haven't done anything wrong."

A hand on his thigh had him flinching, Trowa removing the touch at the small motion, "I've done something wrong," the green-eyed man stated in a flat tone. "Maybe this trip isn't a good idea."

Aware this would be the last time he would see Trowa unless they were working or with their friends, Duo shook his head. With the facts in front of him, he couldn't ignore his feelings anymore, so he would do what he could to minimize his time with Trowa. Already aching at the impending loss, he decided he would make the most of the weekend, putting his rioting emotions aside and simply enjoying the time they had left.

Releasing the steering wheel with one hand, he reached over to touch Trowa's hand, balled into a fist between the seats. "Sorry for acting like an ass, Trowa. I think this trip is a good idea. I don't know about you, but I definitely needed to get out of the city for a while."

"I did, too," Trowa agreed quietly, turning his hand until their palms met. "What did Zechs say to upset you so much?"

"Nothing I want to think about. You know how he can be sometimes; deep thoughts that he has to share all the damn time, whether you want to listen or not."

"Wufei's said the same thing before," Trowa sympathized before falling silent.

Duo knew he should remove his hand from Trowa's, but since the other man didn't seem to mind the contact, he took guilty pleasure in the touch until he turned onto the highway and began up the mountain, needing both hands to steer as he followed Trowa's directions.

Turning onto a dirt road that was little more than a path, Duo had to ask, "How in the hell did you find out about this place? There's no way you just came across it by accident."

"One of the men I dated a few times is a park ranger. We still talk occasionally and he recommends new places for me to go. This is one of my favorites."

Duo didn't have to wonder where the surge of jealousy came from as he pulled to a stop. Getting out and emptying the back of the vehicle, he wasn't able to stop the next words that popped out of his mouth, "You talk to him a lot?"

"Not in the last few weeks," Trowa replied easily as he shouldered his pack.

"Why not? You seemed to get along okay. How many times did you go out with this guy?"

"We dated for about a month or so before deciding we didn't quite fit together."

Swallowing hard, Duo locked the car and spun a finger in the air, taking Trowa's sleeping bag and attaching it to his backpack when the tall man obligingly turned around. "Why did you come to that conclusion?"

"The only thing we had in common was a love of the outdoors. Beyond that, there was nothing." Trowa turned to him, gesturing for Duo to turn so he could attach sleeping bag to backpack. Keeping his voice quiet, he added, "I also started spending time with someone I found far more interesting."

While Duo wanted to ask who that person was, he also didn't want to know, "Did you fit better with them than you did the ranger?"

"I believe so, yes."

"Good for you. We should get going, right?" he asked with false cheer.

During the two hour hike, Duo was able to get his attitude under control by giving himself a stern and scathing lecture. There wasn't a reason to take out his frustrations on Trowa; it wasn't the tall man's fault that Duo had developed feelings for him. It did no good to be jealous, either, so he resolved to stop acting like a total idiot as they moved toward the camp.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

The self-talking did a lot of good. By the time they reached the peak of the mountain, where they would set up their camp, Duo was speaking freely to the tall man. Letting his pack hit the ground, he stood on the edge of the rocks and let out a long whistle, smiling when it echoed across the mountaintops. "That is so cool."

He was leaning forward to get a better look at the steep drop-off when he heard a gasp behind him. Curious, he turned toward Trowa, confused when he saw how wide the green eyes had grown. "What's wrong?"

"Please get away from the edge, Duo."

"I didn't know you were afraid of heights," the braided man said with a frown as he moved toward the other man, stopping when he reached the circle of rocks that would contain their campfire. "How did you do all those tricks at the circus if you're afraid of heights?"

"I'm not afraid of heights."

Beginning to set up the tent they would share, Duo shook his head, "What's the big deal? I was just trying to get a better view."

"It's a long way down. I had a picture in my head of you going over the edge and I couldn't get to you fast enough."

Thinking of how he would feel if he had imagined the same thing, Duo nodded. He had the tent set up and was hammering in the posts when he sat back on his haunches, "That'd be a helluva way to go, wouldn't it? The landing would suck rocks, literally, but the trip down…it'd be the closest thing you could ever get to flying without some kind of help."

"Are you suicidal? Was coming here a bad idea?" Trowa was holding an armful of wood and staring at Duo with a horrified expression.

"No, I'm not suicidal. I'm not planning to cash in my ticket just yet. I was just saying that it would be amazing to feel that free for those few seconds. I can understand why people would consider it. You know how exhilarating base jumping and sky diving are. You have those moments of total freedom from all your problems and worries before you have to do what needs to be done to get to the ground safely."

"I guess I know what you mean. Times like those are the only ones you can really let go of who you are."

"Exactly," Duo pointed at the other man with a grin. When Trowa smiled back, he could see it was strained, "I'll stay away from the edge, okay?"

The sigh of relief was audible, "Thanks, Duo."

After it was dark, Duo studied Trowa in the flickering light of the fire. "Did the ranger guy give you any more information about places around here?"

Green eyes were startled as they met cobalt, the tall man nodding after a few seconds, "He's sent me maps with several camping spots marked."

"Have you had a chance to go to many of them?"

"Remember the hike we took two weeks ago? That was one. I've been to another, but that's been it. There never seems to be enough time to do all the things I want to do."

Leaning back on a rock, Duo stared up at the night sky, "I could imagine being able to stay out here for a week or two. No phones, no cars, no annoying messages, and no work. Sounds like paradise."

"It surprised me when you said you enjoy being outdoors like this," the tall man noted abruptly. "I assumed, coming from the colonies, you'd be more comfortable in a city."

"I probably like camping and shit because of where I came from. I didn't even see a damn tree until I came to earth. L2 and the ships all used oxy-recyclers to supply breathable air because it was cheaper than any other form."

"L3 used a half and half process, half oxy recyclers and half oxy production. It was a good concept, but there was a constant worry that something would happen to the plants; the recyclers wouldn't have been able to compensate for the loss."

"As long as we could keep breathing, I didn't think about it. Surviving was hard enough without adding the possible ways we could die; there were plenty of other things to worry about."

Duo yawned wide enough for his jaw to crack, smiling when Trowa chuckled, "We should get some sleep. There's a trail I'd like to hike tomorrow."

"Somethin' special?" the braided man yawned again as he climbed into the tent, pleasantly tired as he kicked his boots off. He had already undressed to his shorts and wiggled into his sleeping bag by the time Trowa entered the tent, giving him a wide-eyed look of surprise before unlacing his boots.

"There's a waterfall on the other side of the mountain. It should be a three or four hour hike, one way. I thought we could try fishing once we get there, maybe catch something for supper."

Propping himself on his elbow, Duo snorted, "I know how to fish, believe it or not. Howard taught me during the war during our spare time. I also know how to clean and cook a fish."

"Why did he want you to learn those particular skills?" Trowa asked as he tugged off his boots, setting them in the corner of the tent.

"He thought it would be a good thing to know just in case I ever got stuck somewhere and didn't have any food. He was always trying to take care of me like that." Duo laughed lightly as he recalled the older man with the loud hawaiian shirts and large sunglasses, "I never have told him how much it meant to me that he took that time with me. It was the first time in a long time that someone took a real interest in what I was doing."

"Professor G never did anything like that with you?"

"Are you kidding me? You saw G; he wasn't exactly the type to embrace those warm, fuzzy moments that would form a bond of any kind between us. To him, I was a tool he could use and that was all."

"If that's what he thought about you, he was wrong."

Looking down at his hands, Duo gave a snort, "That's all I was to him, Trowa. I didn't want to be anything more than that. He gave me what I wanted, in the end."

"Deathscythe?"

"That was one thing, but what I wanted most was freedom. I wanted to get the hell away from L2 and all the crap that had happened there. I guess what I wanted most was a fresh start, a life where I wasn't a nobody in a sea of nobodies."

"That's why you wanted to pilot?"

"Nah; I wanted to pilot because it felt freakin' awesome. Having all that power at my control; for the first time in my life I thought I could make a real difference in someone's life. If I could keep someone else from having to fight or losing their family, it would have been worth it. Not so sure I did what I set out to do, but at least I had a part in ending the war; that was important to me."

"You made a difference, Duo."

"That's what I like to tell myself," he snorted.

"You made a difference," Trowa repeated quietly, prompting Duo to look up at him.

Duo's mouth went dry when he realized the other man had taken off his tank top and was sitting on the end of the sleeping bag, looking at him with an intense expression. Ignoring the need he felt to lean forward and kiss the other man, he averted his eyes, afraid the sight of the muscular torso and back were forever burnt into his brain. "I'm glad you think so, Trowa. Your opinion means a lot."

"It isn't just my opinion. It's a fact. You've made a difference in a number of lives, starting with your friends."

"That's sweet, but not true."

"It is true. If not for you being there, Heero would have killed Relena, making the war last much longer."

"There is that, although I sometimes wonder if I should have let him shoot her. She's still a pain in the ass, but at least now she's found someone to bother other than Heero. I was worried for a while that he was going to shoot her anyways."

"If he did, it wouldn't be to kill anymore," Trowa reasoned with a snort. "A flesh wound is always a possibility."

Duo heard a rustle of cloth, easily able to imagine the camouflage pants being pulled off long legs. Letting a breath out through his teeth, he flopped back onto his sleeping bag and closed his eyes. "Anyway, I'm worn out. Who knew that meetings with building contractors could be so damn exhausting?"

Trowa's voice close to his ear had his eyes shooting open, "Duo, you made a difference in my life, during the war and now."

Without thinking, he turned his head at the soft words, freezing with wide eyes when he realized that Trowa was close, very close, warm breath washing across his lips. For one blissful moment, he forgot to think and lifted his head the inch it took to bring his mouth in contact with Trowa's. Riding on emotion alone, he sighed as Trowa's lips moved against his, until reality set in and he dropped his head, scooting as far away as he could in the small tent.

When Trowa stared at him through wide eyes, he shook his head, "Christ, I'm sorry. That was stupid; I shouldn't have done that."

The other man lay down, cradling his head on his arm and still watching Duo, "Do I look like I asked for an apology?"

"You look like I just hit you in the face with a brick," he stated honestly, breathing a little easier when Trowa gave him a smile. "You didn't ask for an apology, but I'll give you one anyway. I'm sorry for doing that, Trowa. I wasn't thinking and it won't happen again." No matter how badly he wanted it to happen again, he wouldn't force himself on the other man just because he had been stupid enough to develop feelings.

Trowa watched him for a long time before turning his head and staring up at the ceiling of the tent. "Get some sleep, Duo."


	8. Chapter 8

Warnings and disclaimers in first part

Luckily, Trowa didn't seem to hold Duo's momentary lack of sense against him, appearing completely normal the next day. Over breakfast of coffee and scrambled eggs, he saw the tall man watching him with an odd expression, but no mention was made of the brief kiss.

While he was glad that Trowa wasn't mad at him, Duo was also curious _why_ Trowa wasn't mad at him. If someone had thrown themselves at him the way he had the tall man, he wouldn't have been so calm about it…unless he had wanted that someone to throw themselves at him. With a snort, he shook his head at his thoughts, deciding he hadn't gotten enough sleep.

"Something funny over there?"

Looking across the smoldering remains of what had been their campfire, he smiled freely at Trowa's baffled expression. "The way a brain works is weird as hell, but you know you're messed up when your own thoughts confuse you," he snickered, laughing fully when Trowa blinked. "Nevermind; I have some major issues I need to deal with one day or I'll be in an old folks home, spouting more nonsense than I do already."

"Those poor nurses; they won't have a chance in hell of understanding your ramblings. Half the time, I don't understand them."

"You understand me more than anyone else," Duo remarked absently, not thinking about what he was admitting.

"Even Zechs?"

"Hell yes. I confuse Zechs on a daily basis. If he doesn't give me that befuddled look of his at least once a day, I haven't done my job." Gesturing to Trowa's empty plate, he asked, "You done?"

The tall man looked at him for another few seconds before nodding, "It was very good. I never realized someone could actually cook like that over a fire. Something else Howard taught you?"

Standing and walking to the other man Duo took the plate, fork, and mug, piling them on top of his own dishes, "Yeah. We would go out whenever we had a chance. I'm surprised you don't know how to do any of this stuff, living with mercs and all."

"We had a full camp with a mess tent. Someone else did the cooking. We were supposed to take turns, but when the others realized I was hopeless in the kitchen, they decided it would be better to keep a gun in my hands."

"They were wrong to do that. You're getting better at cooking all the time; you just need someone to work with you."

"It helps that you are actually there with me, showing me what to do every step of the way. They would tell me what to do and leave me alone; that would have worked with a gun, but with a frying pan…I was a useless failure." Trowa stood and followed Duo to the small creek that ran down the mountainside, "What are you doing?"

"The bad thing about cooking breakfast instead of eating a ration bar or something like that is that you actually have to wash the dishes later. Some stuff you could leave until later, I guess, but eggs are a bitch to get off after they've been sitting for a while."

"I should be doing that since you did all the cooking."

Crouching down beside the creek, Duo craned his head up to smile at the tall man, "I don't mind doing this, really. You could get the stuff together we need for our hike, if you want. My fishing pole and tackle box are in my backpack."

It didn't take long to get the dishes washed up and Duo joined Trowa back in camp, smiling when he saw the other man standing with both backpacks at his feet. Before he could say anything, Trowa asked him, "Are you ready?"

"Absolutely; do you think it's going to rain or anything today?"

"The weather is supposed to be nice all weekend. I don't see any clouds, either." Trowa consulted the watch he wore, giving Duo a moment to admire the way the tall man looked in a pair of loose jeans and another tank top, this one black. "We should be able to reach the waterfall by two at the latest, by taking our time and adopting a casual pace."

"Adopting a casual pace? Dude, do you mean we can walk without having to march?" Duo snickered when Trowa jerked his head up. "We aren't in the military. Saying we can take our time would have been good enough for me."

It was surprising to watch Trowa's skin take on a slightly pink tint as he ducked his head, "We should be able to take our time and be able to stay for a while before having to come back."

"Sounds good," Duo set the dishes down and covered them with a plastic tarp before grabbing and shouldering his pack. Seeing Trowa glance at the tarp, he shrugged, "It'll keep bird shit off of them."

Trowa's bark of laughter echoed off the trees and across the ravine in front of them. "I never would have thought of that."

"Yeah…let's just say that Howard and I learned about it the hard way. Lead on, Tro."

As always, the conversation varied as they walked side by side up the overgrown path, leaping from one topic to another without either man missing the thread of a subject. Duo told more of his camping trips with Howard, recalling those times with fondness that made him smile and laugh. Trowa told him more about his life with the mercenaries, sharing details of camp life and readily answering Duo's questions.

"So you lived on Earth with the mercs?" Duo questioned, surprised by the news. "I thought you were from L3."

"I think I was born here, or came here at a very young age. My first memories are of Earth," Trowa explained quietly.

"So why the move to L3? Why leave here and go to a colony?"

"I can remember sitting around the campfire at night and watching the older men in the group. They were only forty or so, but they seemed so ancient at the time. They weren't able to do much, one had a prosthetic leg and one was missing an arm, both from previous jobs; there was even one guy that had been blinded when he was hit in the face with shrapnel…all they could do was tend the camp while the rest of us worked. It was a dangerous and unpopular job, not the best choice of careers." Trowa shook his head, "Anyway, I was looking at them one night and realized I didn't want to be them when I got older. I didn't want to spend my mid-life crises reliving tales of what I had been able to do before I got hurt and couldn't do it anymore. A few weeks after that, I hooked up with a circus troupe that was travelling Earth, just getting ready to go back to the colonies." Trowa gave an embarrassed shrug, "I guess the short answer is that I wanted out of that life."

"How did you get hooked up with the asshole Barton?"

"Life at the circus was interesting, but there was something missing. I didn't realize how much I would miss being able to work on mobile suits. Barton was at the circus one night, bragging loudly how he had the best mobile suit ever made. I got curious and followed him to their base and just acted like I was supposed to be there. I knew what I was doing, so no one asked me any questions. I remained there for over a year, getting to know everything about Heavyarms; when Barton was murdered, I volunteered to take his place."

The sheer audacity of the idea had Duo gaping, stopping in his tracks and staring in silence for a few minutes before breathing, "Man, that took some balls. I don't know if it was brilliant or stupid. Maybe a bit of both. Calling attention to yourself like that was a risk."

"I didn't really care if I lived or died, Duo. I wasn't brave or anything, I knew I could pilot Heavyarms better than anyone else and I wanted it."

"I gotta admit you were pretty damn awesome. Why did you keep fighting?"

"I realized how valuable human life was. You taught me that, with a little help from Catherine. I saw how you always fought with such determination, even when you didn't have a chance in hell of winning."

Walking again, Duo laughed, "Is that what you thought it was, determination? That was full-blown kamikaze, man. I figured that if I was going to die, I was taking as many of those SOB's with me as I could. What were the chances of me, an L2 street rat, surviving the war?"

"When did you stop thinking that way?" Trowa's voice was subdued.

"When the war ended and I was still alive," he replied honestly. "Dying in battle is one thing, but I never considered suicide. Since I had beaten the odds, I was going to make the best out of my life." Hearing a roaring sound that had been growing steadily louder, he stopped with wide eyes to ask Trowa, "Is that the water?"

"That is the waterfall."

"Holy hell, that's loud. What are we waiting for?" he demanded with a grin, grabbing Trowa's hand and pulling the other man toward the noise, completely forgetting about their previous discussion.

Emerging from the trees, he looked up at the column of water that poured over rocks, splashing into the pool below hard enough to churn the water into froth. "Oh…wow."

"Do you like it?"

Barely hearing Trowa's voice over the pounding water, he nodded, "It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like it before."

"You've never seen a waterfall?"

Duo was being tugged away from the waterfall, farther down the rushing river. Looking back at it over his shoulder, he answered, "Sure, but never one like that. I've only seen little ones."

Deciding it was best to watch where he was going when he tripped over a root, he turned in time to see Trowa's satisfied smile, wondering about it when he realized his hand was being grasped firmly. "So, umm…where we goin'?"

"There's a perfect place over here to fish. It's even good for swimming, if you want to later."

"We can go swimming?" Duo was thrilled by the idea, allowing only an instant to miss Trowa's touch when his hand was released. "Is that safe?"

"As long as you don't mind swimming with fish, it's perfectly safe," Trowa snorted as he sat on the hard ground, pulling off his pack and opening it to find his retractable fishing pole, pulling it open until it was the length of a standard fishing pole.

"I can live with swimming with fish, but I warn you that I'm not a real good swimmer. I look like I'm drowning, but I'm not."

Trowa laughed as Duo sat ungracefully beside him, making a strange sound when Duo leaned forward and dug his fingers into the moist soil, "What are you doing?"

Making a face at the squishy mud, Duo finally found what he was looking for, holding up the squirmy worm with a lifted eyebrow, "You can't fish without bait. You can use bread or bubble gum, but this works better. Here," he grasped the hook on Trowa's pole carefully, winding the worm around it and securing it before letting go and digging into the dirt again. "I like finding the worms," he confided as he rose to his hands and knees.

"We'll likely need several, so find as many as you want. I have a cup we can put them in," Trowa cleared his throat abruptly, prompting Duo to look back at him and frowning at the blush on the tall man's face.

Taking the cup held out to him, Duo dug around until he found seven more worms, snickering when Trowa shook his head. "This should be enough to catch something, as long as we pull them apart. Don't worry, I'll do that part."

"You really do love this, don't you?"

Baiting his own hook, which Trowa had obligingly gotten out for him, Duo nodded, "I love being out like this, where there aren't any expectations or demands. My phone shouldn't ring unless it's an emergency and I can just relax. The company isn't too bad, either."

"I have to agree with you, on all points. As for the company, there's no one else I would rather be with."

"Not even the Ranger?" Duo tried to subdue the blush on his face, knowing he was turning red at the small compliment.

Standing, Trowa cast his line expertly, speaking in a low voice as he faced away from Duo, "Not even the Ranger."


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

The ride back home was an odd mixture of relaxing and stressful. Duo had a great weekend, able to simply enjoy being with Trowa, putting his worries and concerns out of his mind for most of the three days.

It might have been a mistake to go on the camping trip after he had admitted to himself how he felt about Trowa, but he couldn't regret it. Knowing that he was going to have to limit his time with the tall man had made him relish ever moment, hoping to remember those times once he was alone.

With one hand on the steering wheel and the other on his seat, he drove back toward the city, jumping when a warm hand covered his, "Duo, are you okay? You've been very quiet since we left camp."

"Just…wishing the weekend hadn't ended so soon," he answered honestly, turning his hand over so his fingers could tangle with Trowa's briefly. "I know that we can't do stuff like that a lot and that made it even more special."

"It is possible to make shorter trips on the weekend, maybe stay overnight instead of the whole weekend."

Aware there would be no more trips, Duo sighed quietly, giving a wan smile when his hand was squeezed lightly. "I doubt I'll have time to do much of anything for the next few weeks. Now that reconstruction has finally begun at Cinq, Zechs will likely have to travel there pretty often and I can't let him go alone."

"He would have his entire security team, Duo. It's not like they're going to let him wander into a dangerous area."

"I know, but if I let him go without me, I wouldn't be doing my job. Would you leave Quatre in the same situation?"

"I suppose not," Trowa said quietly. "What aren't you telling me?"

"What do you mean? There are probably a lot of things I'm not telling you, but I will when -"

"Stop it, damn it," the tall man ordered softly, hand tightening on Duo's for an instant before disappearing. "You've been keeping something from me all weekend, starting when you picked me up on Friday. If you don't want to tell me what's going on that's fine, but stop acting like you have no idea what I'm talking about. I thought we were closer than that."

Hearing the actual pain in Trowa's voice, Duo winced as he slowed to match the speed limit, marginally slower now that they were within city limits. "Zechs is going to be making a lot of trips, Trowa; that's the truth. Since I don't trust anyone else with his safety, I'll be going with him. That, plus trying to keep up with his normal schedule is going to lead to a lot of late evenings and few weekends off." Risking a glance at his passenger, he saw Trowa's jaw was clenched. "I'm sorry, but I don't think another trip will be possible for a while."

"I understand your need to protect Zechs; I'd do the same if it was Quatre, but are you sure that's the real reason you don't want to make plans? Are you sure this doesn't have anything to do with what happened Friday night?"

Duo didn't have to ask what Trowa meant; the sensation of firm lips moving against his was still fresh on his mind. "Why would that make me want to spend less time with you? You said you weren't mad about it."

"I wasn't mad about it. I'm not mad about it now. I assumed you'd try to avoid me so it wouldn't happen again; you did say it was a mistake."

It had been a mistake, a huge one that had shown Duo how good things could be between them. "I wouldn't hold that against you. It was my fault."

"Duo, I didn't -"

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" he requested with a grimace. "It's not going to happen again, so there's no reason to talk about it. We'll still get together when we can; I'm just saying I won't have as much time as I did before. There's got to be a lot of things you've been putting off because we've been together."

"Nothing I've missed."

"But there is something," Duo nodded as he turned onto Trowa's street.

"I've enjoyed being with you."

"I enjoy being with you, too, but we both have a life."

"What you're saying is that you don't want to spend time with me anymore," Trowa stated suddenly.

"I do, but I don't think it's a good idea," the braided man shook his head as he pulled to a stop in front of Trowa's building. "It's been a long time since either of us went on a date and Zechs said -"

"I don't give a damn what Zechs said," Trowa growled, shocking Duo. "I haven't wanted to go on dates. I've been having a better time with you than I could with anyone else."

Trowa jerked the door open and got out, already able to get his things out of the back by the time Duo got over his surprise. He had never seen Trowa so upset about anything and didn't understand the source of his anger. "What's the deal, Trowa? Why are you mad at me? You were the one that suggested the dating service."

"That was before…forget it, Duo. Let me know when you can get together. I would still like to see you when you have time, unless you don't want to see me at all."

"I want to see you, more than I should," the smaller man admitted softly, bracing for the backlash.

All of Trowa's anger vanished in an instant, his face softening as he moved a step closer toward Duo and stopping, searching the smaller man's face for a moment. Leaning forward, he tucked a wayward strand of Duo's hair behind his ear and smiled. "You can be a real idiot sometimes, Duo. Call me when you're ready to talk."

"We missed you at dinner last night," Zechs commented as he and Duo entered the office, the braided man giving his usual look-over before nodding in satisfaction that nothing had been disturbed. "Did you have a date?"

Sitting at his desk, Duo shook his head, "No date, I just didn't feel up to going out. Did I miss anything?"

The blonde was watching him closely; even without looking up, Duo could feel the blue eyes on him. "We discussed what to do for Heero's birthday, but didn't want to make definite plans without talking to you first."

"Whatever you guys decide to do is fine with me," he responded quietly, two weary to work up any enthusiasm. "You have a meeting with a senator from Cinq in less than thirty minutes, Zechs. Make sure you have your shit together; this guy is a prick."

"It's true that he has the personality of a wet cat, but he knows his business; he fights for what he wants. In this case, we both want the same things so I doubt there will be any real issues," the blonde made a dismissive gesture with an elegant flick of his wrist, as if he was dismissing a servant instead of words. "I'm not that easily sidetracked, Duo."

"Yes, you are," Duo lifted on eyebrow, meeting the other man's gaze. "How did Wufei like your anniversary gift?"

It was intriguing to watch Zechs' expression alter from determination to dreamy and distant, obviously recalling Wufei's gratitude of the new katana, an exact replica of one the Chang clan had in the early days of the colony, lost to war. "He loved it. I hope you don't mind that I took all the credit, though I should have told him that you were the one that came up with the idea and that did most of the work for it."

"You paid for it," Duo reminded, not minding that Zechs had taken credit for the hours of research he had put into Wufei's gift. "Besides, if you had told him it was my idea, he'd probably think there was an ulterior motive."

"You did have an ulterior motive, didn't you?" Zechs focused on the surface of his desk, finding what he needed for his meeting. "If I'm not mistaken, you used that as an excuse not to go to dinner with the rest of us one evening. It wasn't the first dinner, or the last, that you missed. You haven't gone to dinner for almost a month, ever since you came back from your camping trip. What happened between you and Trowa while you were gone?"

"Nothing happened," he managed to control the heating of his face, but only because he had thought of that single kiss many times during the past weeks. Even after all the time that had passed, the memory was still fresh and made him ache.

"When was the last time you saw Trowa?"

"When I dropped him off at his apartment that Monday."

"I thought you liked spending time with him?"

"You know I do. You know how much I like being with him," Duo answered as he checked his gun. It was unlikely he would need to use it for a meeting with a senator, but it was best to be prepared. It also offered a way to avoid Zechs' probing gaze.

"If you enjoy spending time with him, why are you avoiding him?"

"You said I should limit our time together."

"I didn't mean for you to cut off all contact, Duo. I said limit your time to one or two days a week instead of four or five. Why did you do something so drastic?"

"Because I can't be with him without…" Duo winced and stood, holstering his gun. "We should go."

"You want him."

Pretending not to understand, Duo held the door open for the other man as he snorted, "The senator is too old for me and very married."

Walking past, Zechs leveled a look that told he didn't find the comment amusing. "You want him," he repeated in a low voice, clearly aware of other people in the building.

"What sane, single, bisexual man wouldn't?" Duo retorted in a tone that was also quiet. "I'd be stupid not to want him, but I'm also not stupid enough to think he could feel the same." Reaching the conference room, he shook his head forcefully, "We aren't talking about this now. There are more important things to deal with," he added, jerking his chin in the direction of where the Senator sat with an aide by his side.

"Nothing is more important than my friends and their happiness," Zechs corrected softly. "We'll talk about this more later."


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

Later came that evening as they boarded a plane for the Cinq kingdom. Although it was possible to drive to the war-torn kingdom, it was much faster to fly; given a choice of a fifteen hour drive with Zechs or a two-hour flight, Duo would always pick the flight, for more than one reason.

Not only would he be saved from a continuous fifteen hour interrogation, he also got to fly, something he missed greatly. The last time he had been able to take the small private plane up, he had been with Trowa, months before he had realized how he felt for the green-eyed man. Had he been in love with Trowa even then?

"Alright, we're away from anything that could cause danger and anyone that could hear us. Tell me why you cut off all contact with Trowa."

"You make it sound more dramatic than it really is." With no way to distract the other man, Duo sighed, "I don't want to do something stupid to make him hate me. I'll get back with him to hang out once I get myself under control. All I can do is hope he won't be mad at me later."

"He isn't mad at you, not that I can tell, but he did seem very confused by why you won't speak to him at all," Zechs admitted, giving a shrug when Duo looked at him. "I was curious, so I asked him what was going on when you didn't come for dinner."

"He didn't seem mad?"

"On the contrary, he smiled when I asked him."

"What did he say?"

"That he was waiting for you to call him and that you needed some time to sort out a few things. What did he mean by that?"

"I really don't know." Duo wished he did know. "I think he knows why I can't hang out with him right now; he seemed to understand. Actually, he seemed to be amused by the idea."

"That's…interesting," Zechs murmured. After a minute he frowned, "I assume you've started accepting dates with the dating service again? That's why you haven't been to dinner with the rest of us."

"There have been a few that sounded interesting, but no, I haven't accepted any dates," Duo confessed.

"You've gone from dating everyone, to dating Trowa, to dating no one at all."

"I wasn't dating Trowa."

"Really? I could have sworn that's what it was called when you spend all your free time with someone you like being around and share interests with."

"It was having fun with a friend." Checking his altimeter, Duo tried to sort out his thoughts, failing miserably. "Your advice was to limit my time with Trowa and I did that in the best way I could think of. What's your advice now, o' wise one?"

"Date somebody else, anybody else, for a while. See if the things you feel for Trowa fade after some time goes by."

"What if they don't?"

"Suck it up, take a risk, and tell him how you feel. You never know what could happen."

"You make it sound so damn easy."

"I know it's not. It's scary to admit things like that with the potential to leave you very hurt, but in your position, I'd rather know if there could be anything there."

Duo fell silent for a time, unable to achieve the usual euphoria flying gave him. He landed on the newly restored tarmac and piloted to his landing bay before nodding, "I'll start accepting dates again and see what happens."

"I do have one other piece of advice, Duo. Start coming to dinner with us again. Everyone misses you."

Once again taking the blonde's advice, Duo accepted the next date request from Dates Anonymous. It was odd to be out with someone that wasn't Trowa, made doubly strange that his date was a woman. It didn't take long after the date began that he was looking for a way out of it, not just because the woman was nothing like Trowa, but because she was more than a little eccentric.

The next night, he took a deep breath as he opened the door for Zechs, looking around to note the positions of Quatre's security team. He thought he was doing fine until he spotted Trowa at the table, steps faltering until Zechs gave him a gentle nudge, "He'll be happy to see you."

Another two steps and he had to swallow hard when green eyes pinned him from halfway across the restaurant. Resolute, he forced his feet to move, giving a strained smile when Trowa gestured slightly at the empty chair beside him.

Sliding into the seat, Duo greeted the other men with a genuine smile, realizing how much he had missed the ritual meeting with them. He was quickly pulled into the conversation, giving his opinion about Heero's upcoming birthday and about the case Wufei had been working on.

He was already finished with his hamburger when Trowa leaned toward him, speaking quietly, "I heard you had a date last night."

Since Trowa had remained silent for the majority of the evening, Duo had to take a moment to remind himself how to breathe; he had forgotten how low and enticing the green-eyed man's voice was. "Umm, how did you know that?"

Trowa's lips turned up at the corners, making Duo miss the full smiles he had gotten used to even as he noticed how sexy the smirk was, "You told Zechs, who told Wufei, who told Heero, who told Quatre, who told me. Quatre seemed very surprised that you were going out."

"I wonder why," Duo said dully, not having to wonder at all. He should have realized that anything he told Zechs was going to be repeated within the group. He just had to hope no one had informed Trowa of his feelings. When the other man lifted an eyebrow in silent question, he nodded, "Yeah, I had a date."

"How did it go?"

"I didn't get her number or anything. After the meal we went separate ways and I didn't look back to see which way she went."

"That bad? What was wrong with her?"

Luckily, Duo had a reason other than the fact that she hadn't been Trowa. "She was obsessed with the colonies, but she's never left earth before. Through the entire meal she asked questions about what it was like to be on a colony."

"Jasmine," Trowa nodded slowly. "I had the unfortunate privilege of going out with her last week. Your description of her is too kind. She's a complete nut. At the end of the night I told her if she wanted to know more about the colonies, she should visit them herself rather than antagonize everyone she meets with foolish questions."

Although Duo had assumed Trowa would go out with others, he didn't expect the pain that lanced through him, "Have you met anyone worth knowing yet?"

"No. I've only gone out twice, Duo. It was better than staying at home and staring at the phone, waiting for you to call."

Startled, Duo glanced around the table to make certain none of the others were listening to them. "I was afraid you might be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at all. I understand why you think you need to do this, far better than you know."

Baffled by the comment and rattled by the conversation, Duo excused himself early, pleading a headache and needing rest. He wasn't so confused that he didn't think to look at the man that had, at all costs, come to mean the world to him. "Do you have a ride home?"

"I'm taking Quatre and Heero home tonight, but thanks for the offer." Duo was starting to stand when Trowa touched his arm lightly, "Call me soon, Duo. I'm getting tired of waiting."


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

The next week passed without anything really exciting happening. Duo went out on two more dates and wasn't impressed by either man, but thought nothing of it until the phone chirped Friday afternoon, signaling an incoming message. After reading it, he sighed loud enough for Zechs to ask, "Is there a problem?"

"Huh?" Seeing the blonde gesture at the phone Duo held, he shook his head, "Not a problem; another date request."

"I'm guessing the match doesn't peak your interest?"

"Actually, the description sounds like someone that would be perfect for me," he noted quietly as he reread the message. "Then again, the last three sounded interesting enough. The first was a raving loon," he explained before the other man could ask. "The last two…they were okay, I guess."

"What was wrong with them?"

"Hell, they weren't Trowa," he groused, tossing his phone carelessly on the desk. "Maybe it's time to make that confession and hope for the best."

"He means that much to you," Zechs smiled when Duo looked up at him. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to admit to yourself that no one else would do."

"You haven't said anything to me."

"You had to figure it out for yourself. The way you've been moping about, though, was starting to make me wonder if you were a glutton for punishment."

"I'm scared to death, Zechs. What if I tell him and he laughs his ass off at me?"

"Trowa wouldn't do that. He respects you too much to react in such a way."

Staring at the far wall, Duo remembered the easy way he got along with Trowa, never having to be anyone other than himself. Comparing that to the way he often had to force cheerfulness around others, he sighed, "I'll call him tonight and see if he'll talk to me."

"Wait until tomorrow. Quatre is supposed to have a meeting that will run late." Zechs shrugged when Duo narrowed his eyes, "Heero is eating dinner at our house; you know he's a disaster in the kitchen. Not as bad as Trowa, but still pretty bad."

Duo felt his lips curve into a soft smile he couldn't control, "Trowa's a lot better at cooking now. I was giving him lessons before everything got so damn complicated."

"You were teaching Trowa how to cook? How did you manage that? Did you tie him to the stove or something?"

"I offered to give him some lessons and he agreed," the braided man frowned. "It's not that big of a deal."

"I once overheard Quatre and Trowa talking about food. Quatre was fussing because Trowa practically lived on microwave dinners and it's not good for him."

"That sounds a lot like Quatre," Duo rolled his eyes. "What did Trowa have to say about that?"

"That the only way he would ever bother to learn is if he had a good teacher or a reason to cook for more than just himself. I think that with you, he found both."

"It's a nice thought, but…"

"Go out on this date tonight, Duo."

The braided man frowned, "Why would I do that if I'm going to talk to Trowa tomorrow?"

"It will give you one last chance to make sure this is what you want to do. It's not like you have anything else to do tonight," Zechs reminded him with a smirk. "Do you really want to sit at home and stare at the damn wall all night?"

Easily able to imagine himself doing just that, Duo picked up the phone and replied to the message, giving a time and place he could meet the person. Sitting back with a sigh, he looked at his friend and employer, "If this person is available, at least I won't have to have dinner alone tonight…again. I didn't realize how much I had gotten used to eating with Trowa until I wasn't eating with him anymore."

"If things work out the way you want, maybe you'll be able to give him cooking lessons on a nightly basis," Zechs grinned when Duo turned red. "What will you do tonight? You could come eat with us if your date isn't available."

"I might, if I don't get a message back pretty soon. I asked to meet at Rosie's café."

"I've never heard of it."

"It's a small place, but they have decorations of every shape, size, and type you could imagine there. It's a good place for a date because there are plenty of things to talk about. The food's good, too."

"Sounds like the perfect place for a blind date. Did you and Trowa ever go there?"

"A few times, but we never needed any help with conversation topics." Duo blinked when his phone chirped again, reading it with surprise. "That was the fastest reply I've ever gotten before."

"Are they available?"

"Yeah, and it seems they know Rosie's. This says to wait at the corner table in the back room."

"Someone that sounds great and enjoys the same eating establishment as you…you may change your mind about Trowa after tonight."

Duo snorted as he sent his message, agreeing to the date, "Yeah, right. That won't happen, but now I won't be obsessing about what to say to Trowa tomorrow." When he realized Zechs was openly grinning, he narrowed his eyes, "Get to work; we still have that finance meeting this afternoon."

"Yes, boss."


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimers and warnings in first part

On the way to the small restaurant, Duo almost turned around and went back home three separate times. He couldn't understand why he had agreed to this after deciding to tell Trowa the truth, but went because he couldn't imagine how it would feel to be stood up.

Entering the restaurant, he waved at the hostess to get her attention. He and Trowa had been there often enough that the staff knew who he was, something he was grateful for when the woman smiled at him, "You eating alone tonight, Duo?"

"Actually, I'm meeting someone. I'm supposed to wait in the back room."

"The corner table, right? Rosie told me to make sure the back room was left empty. Come with me."

Following the hostess into the deserted back room, he had to say something, "I didn't know you could reserve tables here."

"This is the first I've heard of it and I've worked here for six years. Have a seat. Do you want to order now or wait?"

"I'll wait," Duo smiled, baffled at the strange request from his date. Why would anyone go to so much trouble?

Left alone, he glanced at his watch and realized he was early. With nothing to do but wait, he stared out the large window, eyes focused on the rapidly setting sun, trying to sort out what he would say to Trowa when they finally had a chance to talk. He knew it was something he would have to do face to face, though it would be easier to confess without looking at Trowa, choosing to do it in person because anything else would be cowardly.

He was well into his thoughts and imagined scenarios when a glass appeared at his elbow. Startled, he blinked at the glass of wine, "I didn't order this," he stated with a frown.

"I ordered it for you."

The familiar voice had him looking up with wide eyes as Trowa slid into the seat across from him with a smile. "What are you doing here? I thought Quatre had a late meeting."

"Heero agreed to stay with him when I realized who I was being matched with." The tall man sipped his wine, green eyes watching Duo closely, "I decided it was time to talk and I'm tired of waiting for you to catch up."

"You knew you were meeting me?"

Trowa smiled slightly, setting the glass down. Long fingers played with the glass stem as he spoke, "I wasn't positive, but there can't be many men our age that are from the colonies with a background in the war, not in this city, at least. You didn't consider it had to be me from the description you were given?"

Recalling how he had thought the description would be someone perfect for him if not for the feelings he had for Trowa, Duo snorted as he shook his head, "I might have if Zechs hadn't said you were going to be busy tonight." Shifting in his chair, he ducked his head to look at the other man through his bangs, "Now that you know it's me do you want to call the whole thing off? You have to be a little disappointed."

"On the contrary, I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend an evening with…or a morning, or a day, or a night, or a whole damn weekend." Seeing the befuddled expression, Trowa gave a slow smile, "Duo, I knew that at some point we would be matched by the dating service, considering our backgrounds, likes, dislikes, and preferences. I've been waiting for it to happen."

Heart pounding, Duo shook his head, "Why?"

"Didn't you ever wonder why I wasn't mad at you for kissing me that night? I could have moved away at any time, but I didn't. You never wondered why I kissed you back? You never really thought about how comfortable I am touching you or how easily I'll allow you to touch me? I'm not known for making physical contact, not even with my closest friends, but I enjoy touching you."

Duo was wide-eyed as Trowa stood and moved around the table, crouching beside the braided man's chair and putting a hand on Duo's thigh, caressing lightly. The simple touch had Duo's heart skipping several beats. "I could have easily upgraded my computer at any time, though I wouldn't have the new programs. Why would I ask you to do it for me?"

After swallowing hard, Duo asked, "Why did you?"

"At the time, it was the only way I could think of to get you inside my apartment. I wanted to know you."

"You already knew me."

"I knew the person you show everyone else, but I was only beginning to see the real you, the person you are when you're completely at ease. I needed to know who you really were."

"Why didn't…why didn't you try to kiss me or anything else that weekend? There were plenty of times when you could have."

"You were trying to figure out how you felt. I could see you arguing with yourself about what you wanted. I was willing to wait until you figured it out, but it was taking you too long, so when I got the match from the dating service today, I planned this." Trowa winced and looked away for a moment before meeting Duo's eyes again, "Are you angry that I tricked you?"

Beginning to realize what was happening, Duo smiled, "You didn't trick me. You surprised me with this, but you didn't trick me. Just so you know…I was going to call you tomorrow."

"What were you planning to say to me?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. I was obsessing about it when you appeared out of nowhere."

"I was in the kitchen, waiting for you to get here."

"In the kitchen?" Duo snickered when the tall man blushed.

"I was helping cook the food, so you aren't allowed to complain if it tastes horrible."

"I promise nothing on that." Sobering, he lightly touched Trowa's cheek, heart melting as the other man closed his eyes with a sigh at the touch. "Trowa, I need to tell you that I've figured out some things that are very important."

Green eyes opened slowly, fixing on Duo instantly, "Like what?"

"I don't want to date anyone else. I haven't wanted to for a while, but I was afraid to admit it."

"I'm glad you finally figured that out. Now, I'll tell you something. If you go out with anyone else, I'll make sure they disappear. If you have a bad date, it damn well better be with me."

Duo began to laugh, understanding the declaration of feelings for what it was. He wasn't surprised that Trowa hadn't said something more; it was the way the tall man was made. It was amazing that Trowa had been as openly affectionate as he had so far. "What are we eating?" he asked lightly, gesturing with his chin at Trowa's chair and smiling when the other man stood.

Instead of sitting across the table, however, Trowa took the seat closest to Duo, a hand on the braided man's thigh under the surface of the table where it wouldn't be seen. "Steak, potatoes, rolls, and a salad…your favorite meal. I've never seen you eat it at a restaurant, though. Why is that?"

"To me, it's a meal that requires personal attention, not one that should be cooked by a nameless and faceless cook."

"If it makes you feel better, I cooked most of it, but Rosie is fixing the steak. She said I'd probably give you food poisoning somehow."

Amused, Duo put his hand over Trowa's, smiling when the other man's hand turned to twine their fingers together, "A few more lessons and you'll be a damn good cook."

"As long as you're willing to teach me, I'm willing to learn."


End file.
